Wednesday 12 March 2014

Exception #3

This Saturday was International Women's Day.
Where I'm born, ex-Yugoslavia, this day was celebrated. It was a nation-wide celebration; The inclusion and acceptance of women had to be marked, so all women got presents and flowers from both men and children.

Where I live now, Denmark, this day has never been a very big deal. It has been more sort of a political matter, and this day was a day of remembrance; a day to focus on the century-long oppression of women.

This Saturday was different. This Saturday a group of women decided to celebrate the day with an event.
In co-operation with the Danish National museum and 42 model we put up a show that showed 100 years of women's underwear: 1880-1990.
I was one of the model, and I represented 1880. I was the one that opened the show, and for 7 minutes I stood in front of 600 people that watched me get dressed. It was intimidating, it was scary, and it was hell a lot of fun.

Click the images for a bigger version
What I'm wearing here is a chemise and a bed shirt. This is the first layer of four layer in all. 

Courtesy od Karen Mardahl
This is the process of the dressing. 
First my dresser took the bed shirt of. Then I put in to a pair of pantalettes. The next step was the corset. This was such a fun. I head several people from the audience squeal, and some of the even said "oh no" when my dressed to the corset from the pile of clothes. I guess it took her 5 minutes to tighten the corset. She didn't want to tighten it to much, cause she was afraid it would break. Even though I was up for a tighter lacing I think the audience got the point. 
The last layer was the undershirt and a short shirt to keep it all in place, and to hide the corset fully. 




Courtesy of Per "Rock" Mogensen
One of my friends recorded my part of the show, so you can watch it on youtube. 
I must say I'm very excited that I got this opportunity to be a part of this show, and to make people remember how much actually has happened the past 100+ years.


Happy late 8th of March. Remember the feminism and equality of the sexes is not in your clothes, but in your mind. 


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